From garden/farm/farmers market to table.

Tis the season to have fresh veggies everyday.

I am lucky to have some space to have a garden.

I plant flowers in between my vegetables and herbs.

Attracts a lot of bees, butterflies and dragonflies!

If you are not able to grow your own...

make sure to go to your 

local farmers markets or farm stand.

I just found two local farms that are open to the public in my area... that I 

never knew where so close.

Be sure to search all 

your surrounding towns and cities.

Here are links to find farmers markets.

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/

http://www.pbs.org/food/features/farmers-market-listings/

http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/farmers-market-coalition-celebrates-national-farmers-market-week-in-dc/

Kale

Big pickle

Just picked cherry tomatoes. 

(made the bowl also)

Chard, greens, tomatoes, snowpeas, baby onion and 

nasturtiums flowers and leaves .

Cucumber, tomato, basil and thyme

Vinegar and a little coarse salt...that's all. No need

for a heavy dressing...when it's this fresh.  

What do Vegans eat?

I am constantly asked "but what do you eat"...like all I eat is salad and 

broccoli all day.

This is a dinner I prepared...I didn't plan it....I just used what was in the frig.

Portobello mushrooms in a red wine reduction served over a 

roasted poblano pepper, 

creamed (cashew cream with my home grown herbes de provence seasoning), 

fresh carrots and corn topped with caramelized whole sage leaves, 

stuffed artichoke bottoms served over a bed of braised balsamic vinegar arugula, grilled tofu slice, grilled avocado 

and a slices of roasted acorn squash.

I have not eaten animals for decades now...recently (in the last two years) I adopted a plant based diet and I must say that it has inspired and enhanced my cooking and my approach about how I think about flavors and textures. When you use only fresh (& organic) ingredients the end results

can only be amazing.

Tempeh - Rule # 1

The key to awesome tempeh is 

to marinade, and roast it first.

Marinade for a little while before baking - if time permits.

Yum - golden brown

Cut the tempeh into strips, cubes or squares.

Lay on an roasting pan - one layer. Sprinkle some good tamari (not soy sauce*), a bit of oil and water, to about half way up. Swish it around a little. Bake at 300 until golden brown. Can be served as is but I love to, add it to any recipe that uses tempeh or as a substitute for tofu or meat.
Great in wraps with some peanut sauce or a TLT (Tempeh, lettuce and tomato).

I make a full tray - so that I have enough
for a few meals for a week.

Doing this really locks in some favor. Tempeh right out of the bag is pretty bland. 

 Check back for my recipe for maple walnut tempeh!

I consider tamari in the same terms as wine.
There are all kinds of tamaris and grades - it has a richer, mellow
taste than soy sauce. The average soy sauce is has a very
specific flavor that goes well with asian style recipes and a salter taste.
Tamari lends itself to well to many different dishes. 
Tamari and soy sauce are produced in different ways. Traditional tamari 
is a by product of miso and soy sauce is make directly from soy beans.
A good tamari is like a fine aged wine...some soy sauce 
(not all) are like wine in a box.

Fresh Ginger Lemonade

Zesty and Delicious!

The blend of fresh lemon juice and ginger - 

really packs a punch.

Finely grate fresh ginger

1,2-3 tablespoons

Depends on how much you 

love ginger.

Golden ginger

6 organic lemons

Yes...this is the juice of 6 lemons!

Add the ginger and 6 cups of fresh water.

Add sweetener to taste.

I used a 1/3 cup of raw agave.

Stir well.

Other options:

maple syrup

natural sugar

Very refreshing cold

and can also be served warm.

It will stay fresh for a few days.

Leave the ginger in for at least a day

then strain or leave the ginger in for a 

stronger taste.

This recipe is pretty intense so...

made to your taste

...less sweet

...lots of ginger

you can also dilute it

and make a lemon ginger water

or

don't add any sweetener

add some cayenne 

and it makes a great

cleaning drink.

So many ways to "mix" it up.

One of the top 10- under 300 calories - Dinners recipes featured on Top Inspired.

http://www.topinspired.com/top-10-dinners-recipes-under-300-calories/

Ingredients:

tofu noodles 4oz. -can be found in the produce section

half of a zucchini 

fresh basil 

1 tsp of pine nuts

2 oz. lite firm tofu 

tomato sauce

garlic

olive oil

dried oregano and basil

pine nuts

...just under 300 calories!!

Use a Manoline (see pic below) to cut the zucchini in fettucine like shapes.

One of my most favorite things in the world.

Boil noodles for three minutes and drain.

Saute zucchini in 1 tbs. of olive oil with minced garlic.**

Add chopped basil saute a minute.

Add cooked noodles to zucchini and saute a bit more.

Add pine nuts (about 1 tsp.)

Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

** You can also use the zucchini raw

Tofu "ricotta"

• Mash lite firm tofu  
• add dried oregano and basil.
• A bit of nutritional yeast
• salt
• Cook to just heat it up.

Plate zucchini and pasta combo

add the "ricotta".

and place 1/4 cup of any favorite tomato sauce on the side.**

(I used Muir Glen Organic Roasted tomato sauce and added a mashed up veggie ball)

or make some fresh raw tomato sauce.

Plum tomato

garlic

a little onion

fresh basil

dash of olive oil

salt and pepper

Blend in a a high speed blender

Regular size dinner plate used!!!

Zucchini Pesto Pasta - No carbs!!!!

• Using a mandolin slicer... julienne the zucchini
• Saute in olive oil with garlic
• Toss with pesto sauce
• Top with a few pine nuts

Or make it raw - just toss with the pesto sauce and enjoy!

Great Ideas for Raw Food Preparation

Great ideas for raw food preparation.

Eating Raw is so much more than eating salads.  They are lots of ways to prepare veggies and nuts. Dehydrating fruits or vegies under 108 degrees maintain the live enzymes. Soaking nuts help the digestibility of them

Check out all the Excalibur Dehydrator models.

Check out all the Excalibur models...lots of sizes and colors.

Basic EXCALIBUR Dehydrator - Great way to start dehydrating at home.

Basic Excalibur dehydrator - small and economical say to start.

Easy to use

Make great treats

Excalibur Dehydrator - Great for drying, preserving and making raw food recipes.

Click here for information and a discount - 

http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/excalibur-specials/?acc=9dfcd5e558dfa04aaf37f137a1d9d3e5
Excalibur dehydrator - Perfect for every Kitchen

I love it...make homemade kale chips, dried fruit (bananas taste like candy!), dry fresh herbs and make potpourri! 

Perfect for making raw food recipes.

Dehydrating cherry tomatoes for a treat and clementines for potpourri.

Cut in half cherry tomatoes

make a yummy treat. 

Pictured here they are 

half way done.

Dehydrated tomatoes

are amazing sweet.

 I had a few clementines that were a bit old...

cut in slices and dehydrated 

they make great potpourri. 

Dehydrated Kale Chips with Cashew Cheese

Kale

Fresh from the Farm

Hilltop Hanover Farm on Yorktown Heights, NY

Washed and Spun

Dry and ready to be tossed with the 

Cashew Cheese sauce.

Break the leaves in half...leaving big pieces.

I like to remove the lower leaves from the stem.

The three key ingredients.

Nutritional yeast - 1/2 cup.

Raw Cashews  - 2 cups

Pepperdews (or red peppers can be used) - 1 cup

For 2 bunches of kale use

1 cup of cashew cheese sauce.

 Add the cashews and cover with water, add the pepperdews, nutritional yeast, sea salt and a pinch of cayenne. Blend until creamy...adjust to your taste.

Pour over the raw kale and mix with your hands...it needs to get in the folds of the leaves. 



I used my Excalibur Dehydrator...every kitchen should have one.

Racked and ready to dry.

3 trays with Cashew Cheese.

The bottom rack is just olive oil, salt, pepper 

and garlic powder.

I start out with the dehydrator on high for the first 2 two hours

Then adjust it to mid way for the rest of the time.

This batch seemed to take longer than previous

batches...with any drying, you need to keep

checking. The chips are done when they are crunchy.

Questions about dehydrating?  Just ask.

Kale chips can be done in a oven also...but be careful not to burn them.  Turn the oven on high and get it real hot...then turn it off...when it get to about 200 degrees...place the tray of kale in the oven and put the oven back on to the lowest temp. possible...Keep checking...you might have to turn the oven on and off...so as to not over bake the chips.

Portrait of a Pear.

Steep the perfect herbal tea

The best way to steep or infuse an herbal tea is to use loose herbs...not teabags.

Use a mason jar.

For tea that is for sipping or drinking... fill a quart jar about an eighth to a quarter with herbs.

Fresh dried herbs.

I used Chamomile and Peppermint.

Fill to the top with boiled water.

Let steep for at least 10-15 minutes.

Strain and keep up to three days in the refrigerator. 

If making it for medicinal purposes...It actually is better to steep the chamomile and peppermint

separately and then mix. The Chamomile are flowers and do not need to be steeped too long ...10 minutes.

Peppermint is a leaf and can be infused longer...a few hours. Also fill the half way with the herbs. This will make a stronger brew. Do not sweeten if using for digestion. 

Steep some chamomile separately and add some fresh squeezed apple juice...very yummy!!

or some honey or agave...drink it chilled or on ice in the summer for a refreshing tea.

Chamomile to relax.

Peppermint for digestion and better breathing.

A great basic blend.

Starting to infuse.

You can see the chamomile flowers start to hydrate...something you 

will not get from a tea bag.

Find an herb store near you or order online.

You will see how expensive buying tea bags can be and how little you get.